Union



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

L. ONDERDONK. LOOPEB MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Oct. 12,1897.

NV NTO WITNESSES 1k: (mums PETERS co. PuoYmumc msnmsrou, a. c,

3 Sheet sSheet 2-. L. ONDERDONK. LOOPER MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(No Model.)

No. 591,538. Patented Oct. 12,1897.

witness (No Mod elQ) v v v 3 8heets-Sheetl3. L. ON-DERDONK. LOOPER MEGHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Oct; 12, 1897.

J l k UNIT D STATES PATENT Pr ce.

LANSING ONDERDONK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SPEOIALSEWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOOP'E-R MECHANISM F'o R SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 591,538, dated October 12, 1897. Application filed January 3, 1896. Serial No. 574,245. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern/.2 Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massas chusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in sewing-machines, and particularly to that class known as chain? and double-chain machines, wherein an under looper or loopers carrying or not "carrying an under thread operates with a thread-carryin g needle to form stitches. l l The object of the present invention is especiallyto provide an improved mechanism forv operating the looper, one which is adapted for high speed, is easilyand quickly removed, can be applied to flat-bed or cylindrical-bed machines, Whether feeding transversely or longitudinally of the arm,and which is capable of adj ustment to vary the time of the looper that is, to make it catch the needle loop quickly or slowly-and which is capable also of adjustment to varythe length of' the forward and-backward movement and also the amount of the sidewisie movement, one of said movements being an oscillating movement of the looper on a suitable axis and the other being a sliding movement preferably at right angles to the line traversed by the looper in its other movement, one of said movements, preferably, but not necessarily,- the former, being a loop-taking and loopleaving movement and the latter a needle-avoiding movement. I

Another object is to provide such a mechanism and adjustments therefor that may be useful not only for operating anunder-threadmanipulating looper, but a spreader and overseaming hook or crochet-hook or any device requiring to be manipulated in a manner similarto'the looper herein shown and described.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and referred to in the appended claims.

the shaft to vary the time of the looper. 111 is a sectional side view showing a modified T he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partial sectional side elevation of a portion of a cylindrical-bed sewingmachine, illustrating my invention, the feedoperating mechanism being omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a plan View in section of the end of the bed-plate, a portion of the loop-carrier being broken away. Fig. 3 represents three detail views of the loopercarrier-supporting shaft. Fig. 4 is a plan viewof the looper-carrier, its trunnions or supporting-shaft being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a flat-bed machine, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the looper mechanism. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View showing the means for attachment of the looper rod or shaft whereby it may be adjusted. Fig. 9 is an end View showing the means for adjusting the throw of the looper. Fig. 9 is a .view similarto Fig. 9 with the parts disposed to show the tongueand-groove connection. Fig. 10 is a crosssection of the main shaft and collar to which the looper-rod'is' secured, the said figure showing means for adjustment of the collar around Fig.

form of connection between the looper-rod and the main shaft. Fig. 12 is a plan View showing a seriesof loopers arranged on the carrier, and Figs. 13 and 14 are similar-views showing arrangements of loopers to be used with needles arranged diagonally to each other respecting the line of feed.

In the drawings it has not been thought necessary to showthe feed-operating mechanism, as there are many forms of such new in use whichmight be readily applied to machines having the herein-described looper movement, though it will be understood that in connection with a machine such as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 11 a feed moving transversely of the bed-plate must be used, while in the construction shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 14 the feed might be transversely of or longitudinally of the bed-plate, it being understood at the outset that the looper mechanism, as far as its broad features are concerned, is adapted to sewing-machines generally without limitation to the form or arrangement of the work-support, or to the direction of movement of the feed, nor whether the oscillating or reciprocating movement of the looper-carrier be the loop-takin g and loop-leavin g movement.

In the drawings, and referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 6, A represents the upright standard of a sewing-machine, herein shown as of the Union Special type and having the gooseneck B, needle-arm O, needle-bar D, resserbar E, presser-foot a, belt-wheel Z), connecting-rod o, and needles (1.

In Fig. l the needles are shown arranged as in a vamping-machine, and the machine has a cylindrical bed-plate 6, while in Fig. 6 the needles are arranged side by side, as in the twin-needle machine, and the bed-plate or work-support f is flat. As herein shown, F represents the main shaft of the machine, but it will be understood that this may not necessarily be the main shaft, but that the latter may be transversely arranged, this shaft F being simply the driving-shaft for the looper. Hence it is designated in the claims as a drix ing-shaft. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 7, this shaft has an enlarged head G on its outer end and is provided with an eccentricallyplaced socket g for the reception of a ball h, this ball being held in its socket by means of the plate 2', leaving an opening to allow of the passage of the pin, bar, or shaft H, to which the ball is secured, this plate 2' being attached to the head G by means of a screw or screws 70.

The rod, pin, or bar H, I call the looperrod, and, as herein shown, is astraight pin having the universal-joint connection with the driving-shaft by means of the ball h and eccentric socket 9, so that when properly fulcrumed it has imparted to it a gyratory m ovement. I

Journaled in fixed bearings Z in the main frame is a transverse shaft I, having side play in said bearings to allow of a sliding movement. This shaft is preferably mounted so that its longitudinal axis is at right angles to but in the same horizontal plane as the longitudinal axis of the driving-shaft and is provided with a central opening m,through-which passes and in which snugly fits the looper-rod H, the latter being fulcrumed therein and adapted as the driving-shaft rotates to impart an oscillating as well as a sliding movement to the shaft I. The sides of this opening m may be flared to allow slight play of the looper-rod to prevent binding. Secured to this shaft I,

preferably by being sleeved around it, is a block or carrier K, having a socket n, in which the shank of the looper o is fixed by the screw 1), this block or carrier at its inneredge,where it surrounds the shaft, having an opening to correspond with the opening m and having upper and lower extending parts q q on its opposite side, forming a fork in which the forward end of the looper-rod bears.

Instead of the shaft I extending continuously from one side of the frame to the other it may be supported otherwise, as on standards arranged in any suitable position, and instead of the looper-carrier being sleeved on said shaft or otherwise attached thereto it may be formed with trunnions I and the central opening m and the integral fork-pieces q.

lVhile the figures referred to illustrate the looper with its longitudinal axis arranged longitudinally of the bed-plate and the feeding movement transversely thereof and the oscillating movement of the looper the looptaking movement, it will be understood that as far as the purposes of the present invention are concerned the looper may be arranged so that its longitudinal axis is directly in line with the feed or diagonal thereto, and when the direction of the feed is toward that side of the looper upon which the needle comes down it will be advisable to use some means forspreadin g the loop. Furthermore, it is immaterial for the purposes of this invention whether the feed be transversely of or longitudinally of the bed-plate, Whether the needles be in the same vertical plane or set diagonally to each other with respect to the line of feed, whether the feed be up the arm and the longitudinal axis of the looper across the arm, or whether the oscillating or sliding movement of the shaft I gives the looper its loop-taking movement.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 I have shown means for adjusting the looper mechanism to vary the time when the looper catches the needleloop and to vary the amount of the longitudinal and sidewise motion of thelooper. Referring first to Figs. 8 and 10, the head G on the end of the main shaft is provided with a rearwardly-extending sleeve which embraces the end of the main shaft and is attached thereto by screws 3 s, the main shaft being provided with sockets r, flared on one wall,

the openings in the wall of the sleeve being threaded for the reception of the said screws, and by the arrangement shown by turning in on one screw and loosening the other the collar or sleeve will be shifted around on the shaft and the time when the loopercatches the needle-loop will be varied. In Fig. 8 and also in Fig. 9 is shown an arrangement whereby the distance of the ball and socket h i may be adjusted toward and from the center of the main shaft, thus varying the amount of throw of the looper both forward and backward and sidewise. In this arrangement the ball h is supported in the socket i, which socket is formed in a piece G having a tongue t, sliding in a groove U, formed in the face of the head G and adjustable across the face of said head G in the groove U by means of set-screws 'v, the ball h being held in the socket by the piece w, screw-threaded into the head G as showniu Fig. 9.

In Fig. 11 a slightly-modified arrangement for connecting the looper-rod to the main shaft is shown, in which a collar is secured upon the end of said shaft and has a projecting portion y, having a socket for the reception of the ball end of the looper-rod. This collar may be made adjustable on theend of the driving-shaft in the'manner above described in connectionwith Fig. 10.

In Fig. 12 the looper-carrier is shown as v provided with three sockets for the reception of loopers, and in Fig. 13 three looper-sockets are shown arranged diagonally to each other With respect to the transverse shaft and designed to be used in connection with a diagonal arrangement of needles-as, for instance, in corset-work.

In Fig. 14 a similar arrangement of needles is shown, but the looper-sockets instead of being arranged diagonally to each other are in line, but the loopers are of varying lengths.

Various minor modifications and changes in construction may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 do not claim to be the inventor of the broad combination in a sewing-machine of a thread-carrying looper having oppositely-extending journals movable ,in fixed bearings with complemental stitch-forming mechanism and mechanism for imparting to the looper a positive loop-taking movement in the I I arc of a-circle and a positive needle-avoiding movement in a right line, whereby drag on the needle-thread is prevented and liability of the looper striking the needle avoided, nor do I claim to be the first to have invented a carrier for a sewing-machine looper provided on its opposite sides with journals mounted to slide and to rock in bearings with means for positively sliding and rocking said carrier in such bearings.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sewing-machine.comprising a bedplate and a driving-shaft extending lengthwise thereof, a looper-carrier supporting a thread-carryinglooper journaled in the bedplate in advance of the forward end of said shaft, means for oscillating the looper longitudinally and for positively vibrating the same laterally bodily, said means consisting of an inclined crank engaging the loopercarrier and connected With the driving-shaft, and means for actuating the driving-shaft; substantially as described.

2. A sewing-machine comprising a bedplate and a driving-shaft extending lengthwise thereof, a looper-carrier supporting a thread-carrying looper journaled in the bedplate in advance of the forward end of said shaft and means for oscillating the looper longitudinally and for positively vibrating the same laterally, bodily, said means comprising an inclined crank engaging the loopercarrier, eccentrically connected at one end with the driving-shaft and having its other end extending inwardly toward the axis of the forward end of the bed-plate, means on the forward end of the driving-shaft for oscillating the looper longitudinally and laterally vibrating the same, said means comprising an inclined crank engaging the loopercarrier and eccentrically connected by a universal joint with the driving-shaft, and means for actuating the driving-shaft substantially as described.

4. In a sewing-machine a looper-operating mechanism comprising a drivingshaft, a looper mounted to slide and rock in bearings, one of said movements being bodily in a line across the line traversed by the looper in its other movement, a rod or arm operatively connected with the looper and having a universal-joint connection at one end of the drivingshaft; substantially as described;

5. A looper-operating mechanism for sewing-machines comprising a driving-shaft having an eccentrically-arranged socket on its outer end, a rigid bar or arm having a ball fitting said socket and held in place therein, a looper-carrier mounted on an axis transverse to the axis of the driving-shaft and free to slide and rock, said rigid bar or arm operatively engaging the looper-carrier, whereby in the rotation'of the driving-shaft forwardand-backward and sliding movements are.

given to the looper-carrier, one of said movements being-bodily in a right line across the line traversed by said carrier in its other movement; substantially as described.

6. A sewing-machine comprisinga drivingshaft, a looper-carrier with its axis transverse to the axis of the driving-shaft, a looper supported by said carrier having its longitudinal axis at an angle to the axis of its carrier, and means comprising an inclined crank on the forward end of the driving-shaft extending from its point of connection with said shaft in a direction toward the plane of the central axis of said shaft and operatively connected with the looper-carrier for giving a loop-taking movement in the direction of the length of the looper and a positive bodily needleavoiding movement in a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said looper; substantially as described.

7. A looper-operating mechanism for sew- 8. In a sewing-machine, a looper-operating mechanism comprising a driving-shaft having flaring sockets, a collar supported on said shaft and havingscrcws passing therethrough into said sockets whereby the position of the collar on the shaft may be shifted circumferentially, and a looper-rod eccentrically connected to the collar; substantially as described.

9. A looper-operating mechanism for sewing-machines comprising a driving-shaft, a head secured to the outer end thereof and having a diametric groove, an annular piece having a tongue adjustable in said groove and a looper-rod connected at one end to the annular piece; substantially as described.

10. A looper-operating mechanism for sewing-machines comprising a driving-shaft, a head secured to the outer end thereof and having a diametric groove, an annular piece having a tongue adjustable in said groove and having a socket, a rod or arm having a ball 011 one end fitting within said socket, a sliding and rocking shaft carrying a looper, and with which sliding and rocking shaft the rod or arm is operatively connected; substantially as described.

11. A sewing-machine comprising a bedplate, a driving-shaft, and means for actuating the same; a looper-carrier, journaled in the bed-plate, a looper supported thereon; means on the driving-shaft for oscillating the looper in the direction of its length and for positively vibrating the same laterally,bodily, said means consisting of a single crank connected and inclined with respect to the driving-shaft and operatively engaging the loopercarrier, substantially as described.

12. In a sewing-machine a looper-operatin g mechanism comprising a driving-shaft, a looper-carrier, a looper supported thereon, means carried by the driving-shaft for oscillating the looper in the direction of its length and for positively vibrating it laterally, said means consisting of an inclined crank eccentrically mounted at one end on the forward end of the driving-shaft and directly engaging the looper-carrier, substantially as described.

13. In a double-chain-stitch sewing-niachine, a driving-shaft and means for actuating the same, a looper-carrier, a looper supported thereon, means on the driving-shaft for oscillating the looperin the direction of its length and for positively vibrating the same laterally, said means consisting of a single crank connected and inclined with respect to the driving-shaft and operatively engaging the looper-carrier substantially as described. '14. In a doudle-chain-stitch sewing-machine, a driving-shaft and means for actuating the same, a looper-carrier, a looper supported thereon, means on the driving-shaft for oscillating the looper in the direction of its length and for positively vibrating the same laterally, said means consisting of a single crank connected and inclined with respect to the driving-shaft and operatively engaging the looper-carrier, said crank being carried on the outer end of the driving-shaft forward of its front or outer bearing; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK. 

